Pesqueria da Limonta • Alajuela — Restaurant in Alajuela

I admit that this is partly my fault, but this place doesn't have a drink menu and you should be careful about ordering booze without checking the price.

On my last night here I was planning on spending the last of my colones. I had about 14000 left and decided on an entree that was about half of that. When I asked the server what they had for drinks they said beer, wine and cocktails. The whole time I've been in CR I've never spent more than 4000crc for a cocktail (even at beach bars) so I figure fine, I'll have one for the last night. So imagine my surprise when the drink came back almost the same price as my meal! The cocktail was labeled "premiere" on the receipt and I wasn't really given an option to choose otherwise. To my embarrassment I didn't have enough cash to cover it after tip and tax, and had to ask the server to see what they could do. They took off a small amount and I left all the cash I had left, which was prob still about 300c short.

The whole thing just left an incredibly annoying feeling, despite a tasty meal. Seriously if you're going to charge the cost of a dinner entree for a cocktail (and more than any other bar I've encountered in CR) at least put it on a menu or let your guest know. It just feels like they're trying to pull a fast one and for the otherwise good quality of the restaurant, it's a disappointment.

Edit: Thank you for your reply .I would like to say that in most circumstances I wouldn't hesitate to pay $15+ for cocktails if that is the norm. I've gotten good drinks in CR for much less than that (and not at places with cheap booze as you say) and the prices for the meals on your menu did not lead me to believe that the drinks would be much more out of scale. In any case, I just wanted to give a proper heads up to other travelers who might be stumbling around not knowing what a fine place your establishment is, in case they are not the type of clientele you're trying to...

Pesqueria da Limonta lives up to the stellar ratings it receives. The dining area is essentially a covered patio, and it’s very cozy. The service is outstanding: courteous, knowledgeable and professional (and for those - like us - who aren’t fluent in Spanish Daniel was happy to help in English).

But the food is the real star here. The menu is adventurous and focused - appropriately - on seafood. We started with two appetizers: Seared Yellow Fin Tuna Bruschetta and Jumbo Shrimp Carpaccio. Both were outstanding. The generous slices of tuna were spiced and seared to rare perfection, with very fresh tomatoes and a delicious house tartar sauce. The generous plate of shrimp was bathed in a flavourful olive oil-lemon juice dressing accented by delicious capers. So good.

For our mains we chose Robalo Dashi Confit (sea bass with vegetable medley) and Gallega Octopus with yucca. Again, portions are generous (you will not leave this place hungry) and the preparation is on point. The sea bass was delightfully juicy, and the vegetable medley was so tasty that it could have been a meal in itself. The octopus was charred and tender, with a lovely complexity of flavour imparted by a garlic butter with smoked sweet paprika, accompanied by garlic aioli.

Everything was complemented by a bottle of superb Sauvignon Blanc suggested by our server, and topped off with a shared piece of light, mouth-wateringly tasty coconut cheesecake.

The entire meal came to 78,000 colones ($170 CDN), tax and tip included. Great value for an outstanding experience. We highly recommend that you treat yourself to dinner here if you find yourself...

We visited Pesqueria de Limonta on our last stop here before heading to the airport (SJO) in the morning. It turned a day where we had nothing planned into a very special experience. We had some amazing Ceviche and the Seven Mares special with Shrimp, Snapper, Lobster, Salmon, Prawns, Oysters, Octopus, plantains, and yucca. This place rocks! Our waiter, Daniel was very attentive and made some great recommendations. Definitely try the mescal margarita if available. We also met the owner, an Italian gentleman born in Rome but living in Costa Rica for 25 years. He is very passionate about the food, service, and making your experience memorable. A casual environment, but the best food I had in Costa Rica and better than many much more expensive high-end places I've eaten in the US. Highly recommended, especially as a stop before or after a trip at San Jose...